


Night Light

by GalahadWilder



Series: Miraculous Drabbles [21]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Identity Reveal, Parenthood, Too Soon Dadrien AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-19 03:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19967455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalahadWilder/pseuds/GalahadWilder
Summary: Raphaël Agreste is afraid of the dark, but as long as he's got Chat Noir for a dad, he's gonna be okay.Set in the Too Soon Dadrien AU, found here: https://galahadwilder.tumblr.com/tagged/too-soon-dadrien-au





	Night Light

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who haven't been following my Tumblr, the "Too Soon Dadrien AU" is a story in which Adrien moves out of his house as soon as he’s legally able to, accidentally promises an orphan that he’s going to adopt him, and can’t bring himself to take it back so actually goes through the adoption process at age 19. If you want to know more, check the link in the description and just scroll through the tag!

Raphaël Agreste never told anyone he was afraid of the dark. It was a silly fear, after all, one he was too grown up for—everyone in Paris knew the real monsters lived in the daytime, waiting to catch you when you were sad or angry or scared. Everyone had nightmares about black butterflies. But those came in the day.

Rafe still hated the dark. He tried to tough it out—never asked for a nightlight, never went to find his foster parents at night, never left his bed (even if he had to pee). He could be brave. He _would_ be brave. Like Ladybug. Ladybug, who was always scared and kept fighting anyway.

Even after his adoption, Raphaël Agreste rarely got much in the way of sleep.

Then he woke up in the middle of the night to find himself sobbing in his new father’s arms—a man barely older than him, a man he didn’t quite trust yet. “You were screaming,” Adrien—not Dad, not yet—said, stroking his back. “Nightmares?”

Rafe set his lip. “I’m not scared.”

Adrien smiled. “Really?” he said. “Cause I am.”

Rafe narrowed his eyes.

“I sleep with a nightlight, did you know that?” Adrien said. “Too many bad memories in the dark.”

“No way,” Rafe said, shaking his head. “You’re too big for that.”

Adrien smiled his crooked smile. “Never too big for a nightlight,” he said. He booped Rafe’s nose, causing him to scrunch up his face in discomfort. “Part of being a grown-up is admitting that sometimes we need to be kids.”

“Ladybug doesn’t need a nightlight,” Rafe grumbled.

Adrien snorted. “Actually,” he said, “she needs several. And a large number of stuffed animals.”

Rafe crossed his arms. “You’re just saying that.”

Adrien reached out, took Rafe’s hand gently in his own. “Raphaël,” he said. “If you ever feel scared, you can come tell me. Okay?”

“I’m not scared!”

Adrien stared, then sighed. “Rafe,” he said. “Let me show you something.” He held up his hand. “Plagg? Claws out.”

Rafe’s eyes widened as his new father flashed green, and then, in his place, sat Chat Noir.

“I’m always scared, Rafe,” Chat said, his voice soft. “I’m scared for Ladybug. I’m scared for you.” He reached out and clasped his son’s forearm. “But no matter what happens, I will _always_ be there to protect you from the monsters.”


End file.
